WDW-related school projects

[mjh8955]

Our 8th and 11th grade kids will miss 2 days of school for our trip. I sent a letter to each teacher and also a blank assignment sheet for them to fill in, and I also sent a note to each suggested they might want to do a Disneyworld-related assignment for their subject since there is so much to absorb culturally, historically and creatively there. I offered to help design a small project assignment if they are interested. To my surprise several teachers have responded positively and think it's a great idea. I am having trouble thinking of a math-related project. My kids are in Algebra and Pre-Calculus. Any Disneyworld math project ideas out there?

 

[McKelly]

Well, it is not algebra or pre-calc, but you could give each of them a budget and tell them to plan a vacation falling within their budget. Most of it could be done before you go, transportation, hotel, some meals (allearsnet) and they could add in other food costs, tips, and souvenirs while you are there. It could be a real eye-opener for them too!!

 

[Aliceacc]

Ouch. This one is tough!! I'm sorry, I can't think of anything do-able that remotely qualifies as appropriate for either course.

But give me some time, let me think about it, OK?

Oh, just had one tiny little nugget: In Epcot have your 11th grader find "the imaginary number." It's there somewhere, or was when I was last there in 1990. It's certainly NOT a "project", but he can add it on to whatever we do come up with.

 

[mjh8955]

All I am coming up with is a fact-finder mission about numbers...average attendance... speed of fastest roller coaster... I need a more creative mind here!!

 

[Aliceacc]

For your 9th grader, how about this (Not quite algebra, but all I've gotten so far

If you're on the DDP, have her determine the cost per meal with, and without the DDP. Then have her determine the percent saved/lost on a meal by meal basis, and one overall. Are there any conclusions she can draw from the overall results? Are table service meals a good deal on DDP? Are there some particular locations where the DDP saves or costs money?

More arithmetic than algebra, but I'll keep on it

 

[amyhughes]

What I could think up for Disney Math (Keep in mind I am pursuing an English Ed Degree!)

Hand over your receipts or tell them at the end of the day how much you have spent on your day at the World. This would include hotel room, theme park tickets, food, goodies like souvenirs, etc. Everything. Have them chart your progress on your spending. They could make theme park and room expenditures =A and Souvenirs and Dining = B

Test Track is a good example for how to use the equation of speed. It goes 60 mph. But by substituing in letters for the items ie Car=C and Rate of Speed+A they can figure out how fast the car would be going of given longer portions of track or 2 or 3 mile difference in rate of speed. You can also do the same with the monorails, I believe they go at an average of 35 mph, the fastest clip being 40 mph. I.E if the Red Monorail leaves the TTC traveling East Ward at 35 mph it will arrive at the Magic Kingdom in how many minutes?

I think there is a fact sheet on Disney Parking Spaces per Park. If they could figure up the amount of spaces and multiply by the number of average vehicles parked there everyday, then again multiply by the number of days in operation and then by any rate increases they can figure out the amount of money spent yearly by guests on parking.

If your driving have them figure your price per gallon. If your flying same thing. Then for a carbon footprint lowering task have them figure what it would have been in Ethenol, Soy Diesel, and Natural Gas. Since Disney makes all of their own energy so as not to drain the local grid have her count the buildings on Main Street and calculate on average what their utility bill would run.

You can ask Cast Members for daily park attendance, esp if you tell them its for school. Granted you will have to usually ask the day after. BUt by calculating the number of people, percentages of adults vs. children, and then again the percentage of annual passholders versus out of state guests your kids can figure daily just based on Park Admission how much was spent on 'getting into the world'

Hope This Helps!

 

[mjh8955]

Great ideas!! Keep them coming. We are not on the DDP, we are flying not driving, and I am putting money for each of the kids on a refillable Disney card. One kid is extremely frugal, the other the opposite, so maybe budget or spending tracking thing would work.

 

[Aliceacc]

OK, how's this for your precalc child: (Have him check it out ahead of time with his teacher. Precalc is an incredibly vague term; what's taught in my school may be totally different from what's taught in his.)

Have each of your kids track their daily spending: food, souvineers, extras.

Then, after the trip, have him plot both on graph paper, and find the equation of the "line of best fit" for each child-- using a graphing calculator is cheating! He could do the same thing with any other thing that changes from day to day: registered guests at the hotel, park attendance, and so on... any number that's fairly easy to obtain.

And remind him to find that imaginary number!!!